DragonAgeOrigins: The Coldest Hour
by Highlord Cross
Summary: A/U: From the Landsmeet upto and After the death of the Archdemon. Leliana/Male Cousland. Full Title The Coldest Hour is Just Before the Dawn
1. The Landsmeet and Castle Redcliffe

Disclaimer: Highlord Cross does not own DA:O he does however own a COPY of DA:O  
A/N: This is Male CouslandXLeliana(The Couslands name is Nicias Nik for short)  
A/N2: this is sort of an AU starting during the Landsmeet which I'm playing off a little differant then in the game, and going up to and after the death of the Archdemon  
A/N3: I may have beaten the game five times but I can't remember all the dialoug so I'm going to paraphrase

Dragon Age: Origins: The Coldest Hour is the One Just Before the Dawn: the Landsmeet and the Journey to Redcliffe castle

As the main doors to the landsmeet chamber opened and Nik and his group walk in one of the nobles from the back shreiks in fright seeing armed and armoured figures enter covered in blood, none of it their own. "So warden tell us how much was your loyalty worth? how much did those orleisians pay you?" asks Teryn Loghain Mac Tir as Nik and his group reach the front. "It's yor crimes we're discussing here Loghain" Nik says as he stands before Loghaine. on his back was Loghain's leiutenant Ser Cathurien's blade the Summer Sword, the blade is as long as Nik is tall and sharper then a noblewoman's tounge.

"My crimes, you burst inhere covered in the blood of good men and women and acuse me of commiting crimes?" Loghain asks sarcasticly. "Yes your crimes, such as letting Rendon Howe imprision and tourture innocent men" Nik replies locking eyes with Loghain. "It's true, my son was taken under cover of night, some of the things done to him are beyond any healer's skills!" A noble shouts from the upper floor causeing several people to gasp. "What Howe does in his own home I have no control over" says Loghain.

"Can you justify selling elves to the Tevinter?" the tall elven assassin Zeveran spat. "Selling elves, Explain yourself Loghain" the same noble who had stood up for Nik said. "This is war, surely there is more to be concerned about then selling a few elven peasents" Loghain responds. "But let us talk about what you did to my daughter". "We did nothing to your daughter" Nik says. "These brigands broke into the Arl's estate and tried to kidnapp my daughter" Loghain says. "I think I can speak for myself Father" Anora says as she enters the room. "Lords and Ladies of Ferelden, My father is not the man you knew him as, he has gone powermad and paranoid" Anora says explaining all her father has done.

"I call for a vote" Arl Eamon says from his position and various voices cry out. "Wakeing sea stands with the warden, the western hills stands with the warden Maker help us, Dragon's peak stands with the warden, the south stands with the wardens, I stand By Loghain". "It's over Loghaine the landsmeet has spoken" Nik says.

"It's not over yet" Loghain says reaching for his sword. "Then let us finish this honorably" Nik says. "Will you fight me yourself or do you have a champion?" Loghain asks standing. "Sten of the beresaad shall be my champion" Nik says as Sten steps up. "Finaly" Sten says as he aproaches Loghain and draws his faithful sword Asala. After just a few minuets of combat Loghain lies bloody and beaten at Sten's feet. "It is over, I surrender" says Loghain looking down. "Very well I accept your surrender" Nik says.

"You can't be serious, this man killed Duncan!" shouts Alistair. "Alistair, with all due respect, shut the fuck up. You may be a capable fighter, but you lack the capacity to be serious for more then five bloody seconds" says Nik. "How dare you" Alastair says as he takes a step towards Nik his longsword raised. "If you take one more step towards him I shall kill you where you stand" the red haired beauty Leliana says as she draws her bow and aims an arrow right between Alastair's eyes. "Oh this is going so well" the sorceress of the wilds Morrigan says sarcasticly. "Enough!" Anora roars silenceing everyone in the hall.

"Gaurds take Alastair into custody" she says. "I beleive I have a soulution to this, I have enough materials to perform a joining, we could put Loghain through it" the older Grey Warden Riordan says walking up. "Then it is settled Teryn Loghain shall be put through the joining" Nik says.

Many hours later at Arl Eamon's estate the ritual makeing Loghain a Warden is a failure resulting in the death of Teryn Loghain Mac Tir leaveing Nik and Riordin the last two Grey Wardens left in fFerelden. "The Arl has left for Redcliffe and asks that you follow when you are ready" Queen Anora says as she leaves the room. A few days later Nik and his companionsarrive at the bridge that leads to Redcliffe castle only to find the bodies of the towns people and a small group of Darkspawn. "STEN!" Nik calls as he uses the Summer Sword to flip a Hurlock over him directly into the blade of Asala.


	2. Redcliffe and the March to Denerim

Dragon Age origins: The Coldest Hour is the One Just Before The Dawn: Redcliffe and The March to Denerim

"Sten, Oghren Kill the Emissary, Leliana take care of the blight wolves, Morrigan with me!" Nik rapidly gives out orders, sheathing the Summer Sword and drawing the Cousland blade and sheild of Highever and running towards a group of Hurlocks his blade swinging foreward and removeing the head of the nearest Hurlock. after a short battle the last of the darkspawn fall and Nik's group regroups. "Is everyone Alright?" the elderly mage Wynne asks. "Aside from an arrow in my shoulder I'm fine" Nik says. everyone else is more or less uninjured.

"Thank Andraste you're here Warden, the Arl and the Queen are waiting for you in the castle" a gaurd says running up to Nik. "Then lets not waste time take us to them" Nik says impatiantly. "Nicias it's a good thing you're here Riorden has informed us that the Horde is marching towards the south towards denerim" Eamon says as Nik and the others enter.

"That is not the worst part, the Archdemon has shown itself, the dragon is at the head of the horde" Riordan says turning to look at Nik. "Come we have much to discuss you and I" he continues dragging Nik to his room. "Whats going on Riordan?" Nik asks once they stop. "Do you know why the grey wardens must be the ones to slay the archdemon?" Riordan asks in a solom tone. "I assume it has something to do with the taint" Nik replies. "That is exactly why, when the Arch demon is slain it seeks out the nearest source of Taint and merges with it, if it is a darkspawn then the Archdemon may be reborn because the darkspawn have no souls, but if a grey warden does it then the archdeomn's soul will enter the warden's body and both souls are destroyed" Riordan explains. "And I'm guessing the warden dies right?" Nik asks. "Yes that is the sacrifice that has to be made to stop a blight" Riordan says looking at Nik.

"Then I know what needs to be done" Nik says as he turns and leaves the room and walks across the hall to his own room. "Do not be alarmed tis only I" Morrigan says as Nik enters his room. "Morrigan is everything alright?" Nik asks shocked to find the sorceress in his room. "I am fine, tis you I wish to speak of, I know what has to happen to end the blight and I am here to offer you a way out" Morrigan replies. "A way out?" Nik asks confused as to how she could know what must be done when he himself had just found out. "Tis a ritual, performed on the eve of battle in the dark of night" Morrigan replies turning and looking at Nik. "What kind of ritual?" Nik asks eyeing her suspiciously. "Lay with me tonight, and from this a child will be conceived, one carrying the taint, and as such the Archdemon's escence shall enter the child instead of you" Morrigan explains. "I can not do this" Nik says softly looking away from her. "Why not? do you not wish to live?" Morrigan asks furious that he would refuse her offer. "Because I care too much about you to do this, you are very dear to me Morrigan, I will not do this just so I can live" Nik says looking down and at anything but the irate sorceress. "Then you are a fool, I will not stand by and watch you do this, Fare well my friend" Morrigan all but screams as she storms out the door, transforms into a dog and walks away.

"That went well" Nik says aloud as he collapses on his bed. "What was Morrigan doing in here?" Leliana asks from the door. "She wanted to talk to me about something" Nik says as he slides over to make room for her on the edge of the bed. "Oh' The red haired woman says as she sits next to Nik. "Sweet Leliana I want you to promise me something" Nik says in a serious tone turning and looking at Leliana. "What do you want me to do?" Leliana asks softly. "two things, one know that I have always and will always love you, and no matter what happens tomorrow all I want is for you to be happy" Nik says as he leans over and places a kiss on Leliana's forehead.

The next day the gates of Denerim are in sight and the massive army of Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Golems, Magi, and Templars gaze at the horde the Archdemon flying high over the city. "People of Ferelden before us stands the might of the Darkspawn horde, Gaze upon them but fear them not!" Queen Anora shouts to the army as she takes her place on a small landing overlooking the army. "The man beside me is a native of Ferelden, risen to the ranks of Grey Warden, He has survived despite the odds, abnd without him none of us would be here today!" she continues as she walks down the steps and faces the army. "He is proof that glory is in reach of us all. Today we avenge the death of my husban King Cailan, but more importantly we show the Grey Wardens that we remember and Honor their sacrifices." she says turning to Nik who nods. "FOR FERELDEN, FOR THE GREY WARDENS!" Nik roars out this battle cry as he takes off running towards the gates of Denerim his Summer Sword raised high and shining in the fadeing light.

After several hours of combat Nik and his friends clear the Darkspawn from the gates and regroup with Riordan. "So you've managed to fight your way here, good we are doing far better then I expected" Riordan says wipeing some of the gore from his face. "That will change quickly" Sten states simply looking around. "Bloody Nug-runners have us outnumbered three to one" Oghren says with a grin. "What is the plan Riordan?" Wynne asks trying to get them back on topic. "Nicias I want you to take no more then three others with you and head for fort Drakon" Riordan says. "I understand" Nik states simply. "Very well who will be going with you?" Riordan asks. "I'll be Takeing Sten, Oghren, and Zeveran" Nik says looking at the three he named. "Very well, anyone else must stay here and help hold the gate, who will lead them?" Riordan asks. "Leliana will lead them" Nik replies.


End file.
